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11 ways to immigrate to Canada

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The ways you can immigrate to Canada largely depend on three factors: your personal circumstances or situation, what you intend to do there, and where you want to go in Canada. Are you a student? Skilled worker or an investor? Factors like having a job offer in Canada, and having relatives living here, also matter. Your intention for immigrating also counts a great deal. Are you intending to study, work or start a business in Canada? Or do you just wish to be reunited with your family? Finally, the specific province or city you plan to go to is also a big consideration as immigration programs vary per province.

Whatever your situation, intention or specific destination in Canada, the Government of Canada offers several immigration programs that may fit you. The following are brief overviews of these to give you an idea of the general requirements for each. Note that there are additional eligibility requirements, depending on the program, and your situation. Go to the links (on each program title) to the particular CIC page to know more details.

This program is for businessmen and entrepreneurs who wish to start a business in Canada. It requires the following:

Designated organization support -These can be designated venture capital funds, angel investor groups or designated business incubators (a list is available here). You must get in touch with these organizations who can evaluate your business proposal and provide you with a Letter of Support.

Language skills – you must have the ability to communicate in English or French, at least at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 5.

Settlement funds – you must have sufficient funds to start your business. A minimum investment of CDN $200,000 is required if it’s through a designated Canadian venture capital fund, CDN $75,000 if from a designated Canadian investor group.

Each province or territory has different immigration streams that target specific groups (e.g. students, business people, skilled workers, etc.). Because of this, each province/territory has different eligibility requirements. Generally, applicants must meet certain criteria for skills, education or work experience and must intend to live in that specific province or territory.

The application is in two stages: Acquiring a provincial nomination, and application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) for permanent residence. You can apply using the paper-based process or through Express Entry. If you have a clear idea of where to live in Canada, it is best to check out eligibility requirements by going to the province or territory’s website.

The program is for people with skilled professional work experience who may be chosen to apply for permanent residency based on eligibility and a qualifying job offer. Starting January 1, 2015, qualifying applicants must go through the Express Entry System. Applicants are assessed based on (they must reach at least 67 of 100 points):

The Interim Pathway for Caregivers is a short-term dedicated pathway to permanent residence for qualifying in-home caregivers who, in good faith, have come to Canada and are providing care to Canadians, without a clear pathway to permanent residence. It is open for applications from July 8, 2019 to October 8, 2019. Go to the link to know the detailed eligibility criteria and conditions.

This program is for people with a net worth of CDN $10M or more acquired through lawful private sector or business investment activities. Qualified applicants must submit a due diligence report from agencies designated by CIC to be considered for second stage review.

Permanent Residents in Canada (at least 18 years old) can sponsor their relatives to also become permanent residents. Depending on which relative you are sponsoring, there are specific eligibility requirements that generally assess:

This includes Humanitarian and Compassionate Cases, Protected Persons and Convention Refugees, Government-Assisted refugees, and Privately Sponsored refugees. People who need to flee their homelands to escape persecution, war or severe human rights abuses are the clients of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program.

Read this page on the CIC (IRCC) website to know the various programs authorized to help out refugees. It will be helpful to read this warning too on Sponsorship Fraud.

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